The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)
has convened a committee to conduct a "Review of Progress Toward
Implementing the Decadal Survey Vision and Voyages for Planetary
Sciences." This "mid-term review" includes a requirement to assess the
Mars exploration architecture within the planetary science program.
MEPAG perspectives and initial concerns were presented to the
committee at their first meeting on May 4, 2017.

The purpose of this MEPAG virtual meeting is to report to the Mars
community recent MEPAG activities, and to preview MEPAG materials to
be presented to the NASEM committee at their July 13 meeting. This
will include discussion on a statement of concern regarding the state
of Mars exploration in the light of the President's FY18 budget and
other considerations. A tentative agenda for the virtual meeting is:

Two 2.5 day workshops will be held this Fall for those interested in
proposing solar system observations with the James Webb Space Telescope
(JWST). The first (Nov. 13-15, 2017) will be at the Space Telescope
Science Institute (STScI), in Baltimore Maryland. The second (Dec.
13-15, 2017) will be held at the European Space Research Technology
Center (ESTEC), in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Each workshop will include a mixture of presentations about
the promise of JWST for solar system science, specifics on observer
planning tools and observatory capabilities, and hands-on training
and Q&A with the planning tools. Observations of solar system targets
approved for guaranteed-time observers (GTOs) and through the Early
Release Science (ERS) program will be summarized. The workshop is
timed to support JWST cycle-1 open time proposals, which are expected
to be due in February, 2018.

To express interest in either or both of these workshops and receive
future emails, please send a blank email as follows.

The European Space Agency awards several postdoctoral fellowships each year.

The aim of these fellowships is to provide young scientists, holding a PhD
or the equivalent degree, with the means of performing space science
research in fields related to the ESA Science Programmes. Areas of research

include planetary science, astronomy and astrophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial

science, plasma physics and fundamental physics. The fellowships have a

duration of two years, with the possible extension to three years, and are
tenable at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in
Noordwijk, Netherlands, or at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)

in Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid, Spain.

Applications are now solicited for fellowships in space science to begin in
the fall of 2018. Preference will be given to applications submitted by
candidates within five years of receiving their PhD. Candidates not holding
a PhD yet are encouraged to apply, but they must provide evidence of
receiving their degree before starting the fellowship.

ESA fellows are enrolled in ESA's Social Security Scheme, which covers
medical expenses. A monthly deduction covers these short-term and long-term risks.

The deadline for applications is 2 October 2017.

More information on the ESA Research Fellowship programme in Space Science,
on the conditions and eligibility, as well as the application form can retrieved fromhttp://cosmos.esa.int/fellowship

Questions on the scientific aspects of the ESA Fellowship in Space Science not

answered in the above pages can be sentby e-mail to the fellowship coordinators,